Windows 10 will stop supporting Windows 10 by next year. But, it is adding a feature you didn't ask for: ads in the Start menu.
The latest Windows 10 Preview build (19045.4842) has made some changes that may upset users. If you remember, Microsoft reopened the beta channel for members in the Insider program in June this year to allow participants to test the new options that were made available. Microsoft has been adding a variety of features to Windows 10 over the past year, many of which are things that were backported from Windows 11. Some notable examples are widgets on the lock screen and of course Copilot.
Microsoft will show ads in the Windows 10 Start menu
Windows Central One of the things that is being changed, the report says, is the position of the profile button, which is shifting from the top of the sidebar to the bottom of the Start menu, right above the power button. Doesn't sound so bad, does it? Well, it's not just an aesthetic change, there's a reason for the button being moved. Because, Microsoft is testing Smart Account ManagerWhich is currently available on Windows 10 beta builds for Windows 11.
This change, noticed by PhantomOfEarthReplaces the Profile menu in the Start menu with a new menu that, instead of allowing you to perform actions like signing out of your account, shows you a pop-up with information about how much storage space you have on OneDrive, and your Microsoft 365 subscription information, and a link to your Microsoft account. To access the option to sign out, you'll need to click the three-dot menu button that appears in the pop-up. Obviously, this change affects local accounts as well.
In other words, this is another attempt to promote Microsoft 365. That's what users need, right? Reminders about depleting cloud storage, the benefits of subscribing to Office apps. More ads are what Windows needs. You see annoying notifications in the OneDrive app, Microsoft Edge, Settings app, why not in the Start menu as well?
The Windows 10 Settings app is also getting a redesign, or rather a new coat of paint with new icons that are a bit more colorful. It also changes the appearance of the sign-in button. The icon color will not change if you change the accent color. This is likely to grab users' attention, make the options stand out, so that they interact with it.
I understand why Microsoft wants to promote things on Windows 11, even if I don't agree with the sentiment. But why are ads like these being served up in Windows 10? It's going to end next year, don't ruin it, let it die in peace. I mean, is it such a high priority to serve ads for Microsoft 365, even on PCs that can't support Windows 11?
Microsoft has given a lot of bad news recently, Control Panel is being removed from Windows 11, Windows recall is coming back in October, and the Redmond company has also found a way to block the installation of the operating system on older hardware. The good thing is that Microsoft Teams is now a unified app for all users.
What do you think of these changes?
Thanks for reading..
